Investigators searching for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, received disappointing news Tuesday when genetic testing on a key piece of evidence yielded no results.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI announced that DNA extracted from a glove discovered near Guthrie’s Arizona residence failed to generate any matches when cross-referenced with the national Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database.
This development represents a significant blow to the investigation as authorities continue their search for the elderly woman, now missing for 17 days since her apparent abduction.
Law enforcement officials had high hopes for the glove, which was recovered from a roadside area approximately two miles from Guthrie’s Tucson-area home. The item appeared similar to gloves worn by a masked, armed individual captured on surveillance video attempting to tamper with her doorbell camera during the early morning hours before her disappearance.
Sheriff Chris Nanos has identified the masked figure – who was also carrying an oversized backpack and wearing a holstered firearm – as the primary suspect in what authorities believe was a kidnapping for ransom.
“At this point, there have been no confirmed CODIS matches in this investigation,” the sheriff’s office stated, while noting that additional genetic evidence collected from Guthrie’s property remains under analysis. “CODIS is one option of many databases that are available,” officials added.
The case has captured worldwide attention, with media outlets closely monitoring each development in the investigation.
Beyond high-tech forensic analysis, detectives have employed traditional investigative methods, including collaboration with Walmart store managers to track down purchasers of backpacks matching the one seen in surveillance footage.
Phillip Martin, who co-owns a Tucson firearms retailer, confirmed to Reuters that an FBI agent working the Guthrie case visited his establishment over a week ago with a list of fewer than 20 potential customers, inquiring about weapon purchases. Martin reported finding no matches after checking his records.
A law enforcement source revealed that the list shown to gun stores was compiled by cross-referencing backpack and holster purchase data with other investigative leads.
Authorities have also deployed advanced “signal sniffer” technology that creates heat maps to identify potential search locations. Parsons Corp, the system’s developer, confirmed its use by helicopter, ground vehicle, and foot search teams in the Guthrie case.
Nancy Guthrie was last observed on January 31 when family members dropped her off at home following dinner together. Relatives reported her missing the next day.
Sheriff Nanos has explained that the elderly woman’s severely limited mobility made it impossible for her to leave home without assistance, leading investigators to quickly determine she had been taken against her will.
Two alleged ransom demands have emerged since her disappearance, both initially delivered to news organizations rather than directly to the family or law enforcement.
Savannah Guthrie, 54, has released multiple video appeals alongside her siblings Camron and Annie Guthrie, pleading for their mother’s safe return and requesting public assistance in the case.
On Sunday, Sheriff Nanos issued a statement clearing all immediate family members – including siblings and their spouses – as suspects. “The Guthrie family are victims, plain and simple,” he declared.
DNA analysis confirmed that blood traces discovered on Guthrie’s front porch belonged to the missing woman, officials announced last week. Both law enforcement and family members have described her as being in fragile health, requiring daily medication for survival, and dependent on a pacemaker.
While acknowledging that no evidence of life has emerged since the abduction, Nanos told Reuters last week that “there’s not been any proof of death either,” stating his operating assumption remains that Nancy Guthrie is still alive.
